Labels: a series of rentcentric drabble atempts
by OceanLyric
Summary: Rent, high school style. Collins has just moved back, what surprises await him?


Fandom: Rent.

Pairings: Ensemble

Author's Note: My first time writing Rent and my first attempt at drabble type things.

1: Actual Reality.

When Thom Collins moved back to Alphabet city, he expected everything to be the same; he'd only been gone a couple years, after all. When he walked into his homeroom at Larson high that first Monday in January and looked around for his friends however, he realized just how much things had changed. First, there was Maureen Johnson. When he'd left, she had been hanging out with the cheerleaders and surgically attached to Mark Cowen at the lips. When he first spotted her, he had to do a double take, but sure enough, that was Maureen, sitting with the theatre kids, groping a girl who Collins just vaguely remembered as Joanne Jeffries. The only reason he remembered her name was because before he left they'd been on the debate team together. Blinking, he shrugged it off, that was just Maureen. Then he came across his next shock. Benjamin Coffman the third, who Collins remembered as hanging around with Mark and Rodger Davis, was now sitting clear across the room, staring daggers at them, some blond, Allison something, Collins couldn't remember her last name, at his side. He'd have to find out what the story was there. Then he took a good look at Mark and Rodger. At least they were still friends, though he wondered absently where Rodger's girlfriend April was. They were sitting near a boy and a girl, both of Hispanic origin. The girl had palm-palms in her lap and the boy was twirling a pencil like a drumstick. He looked like he belonged with the theatre kids and Collins wondered at that. Finding an empty seat, he pulled it over.

2: What Happened to Benny?

"Hey, what's up?" Mark and Rodger turned as one and blinked when he spoke.

"Collins!" much high-fiving and back pounding ensued, on Mark's part, at least.

"What's with him?" he inclined his head towards Rodger who had remained stone-faced as he stage-whispered to Mark.

"Hey." Rodger said with a roll of his eyes.

"April moved." Mark explained quietly. Collins nodded and pulled Rodger into a bone-crushing hug. For his part, Rodger returned the embrace and even cracked a tiny smile.

"It's good to see you." He added. Collins never did get a chance to ask about the boy and girl because the teacher, Ms. Alexia Darling walked in and began talking. She made him stand in front of the class and introduce himself. He was pretty sure no one was listening. The wrest of the morning passed in much the same way, him having to introduce himself to people who he'd already introduced himself to until finally, blessedly, it was lunch. He was walking over to where Mark and Rodger were sitting when he tripped and went down, the food rocketing off his tray and into the air, landing on some tuff-looking kid who stood laughing at his misfortune. Said afore-mentioned tuff-looking kid stalked over just as he was picking himself up and let fly with a mean right hook and he fell to his knees again. Before he could even think of standing, a kick sent him into an undignified sprawl. Satisfied with his handiwork, angry kid stomped away.

"Oh my god, you OK, honey?" Collins lifted his head to find a blurry figure standing over him.

"I'm afraid so." He croaked. As the figure helped him up, his vision cleared and he recognized the pencil-twirling boy from earlier.

"I'm Angel."

"Angel?" he gave the guy the once-over and smiled, feeling his split lip sting in the process. The boy was beautiful, there was no other word for it. He had kind eyes and was wearing what looked like a wig of long blond hair.

"Friends call me Collins, Thom Collins."

"Here, let's get you cleaned up." And with Angel's help, he hobbled to the nurse's office. Once bandaged, they walked together back to the cafeteria where Mark and Rodger were casting worried glances at the doors.

"Collins? What happened to you?" Mark gasped as they approached the table. Angel pulled out a chair for him and he sat before explaining.

"…Then Angel helped me to the nurse." He finished with a smile in the boy's direction. Angel grinned back, flirtatiously.

"Mark, Mark!" and Maureen was rushing over, looking panicked. She barely glanced at Collins in her haste. When Mark Nodded at her, she quickly blurted out some problem she was having with the sound system in the theatre and begged him to fix it. When he finally agreed, she pecked his cheek and rushed off again, calling.

"Thanks, baby!" over her shoulder.

"Can you believe her? First she dumps me, and now she's asking me for help."

"Well, you could've said no." Collins pointed out.

"I know, but…"

"Awe, you still love her." Collins made a kissy face.

"No I don't." and yet, Mark was blushing as he said the words.

"I'm just messing with you, relax, boy." And Collins ruffled his hair affectionately. Mark rolled his eyes and stood.

"Hey, wait. What's up with Benny? I saw him give you the stink eye this morning." Collins asked as he spotted the boy in question making his way towards them slowly.

"You see the blond with him?" Rodger spoke up as Mark paused. Collins nodded.

"That's Alison Grey. Her dad's superintendent. He wants to shut us down. That's why Maureen's putting on a charity concert. She thinks if we raise enough money, he'll have to reconsider. Benny ditched us as soon as they came to town." Mark explained, bitterness dripping from his every word. Then as Maureen signalled impatiently from the doorway, he scurried off.

"Boy. You miss two years, you miss everything." Collins sighed.

"Angel!" someone called. The boy in question turned and smiled.

"Mimi!" he gestured to the girl Collins had seen earlier with the palm-palms and she hurried over. When she fell into the chair Angel had pulled out for her, Collins got his first real look at her. Her brown hair hung down her back limply and her eyes were mysterious, if a bit haunted. He could swear he had seen her before, with Benny. As she caught her breath, Rodger looked over at her and smiled, shyly. Her answering smile was flirtatious, with a tinge of shyness.

"Guys, this is Mimi. Mimi, that's Collins and that's Rodger."

3: Connection in an isolated gaze.

"Welcome back." Collins turned to find Benny standing behind him, glaring across the table at Rodger.

"Now, if you'd only made eye contact when you said it, maybe I'd believe you." Collins frowned. Benny blinked and looked down at him.

"Oh, Thom, hey. I was actually talking to him." And he inclined his head towards Rodger. Collins turned a confused look on his friend.

"He didn't tell you? He bailed on school when April moved." Benny sneered. Then he turned a disparaging look on Mimi.

"I thought you had better taste than that."

"What do you care? You dumped me, remember?" and before he could reply, Alison beckoned him back to where she was sitting with her friends.

"What do you want, Benny?" Rodger ground out between gritted teeth.

"I want you to convince Maureen to call off the concert."

"You? Or your girlfriend's father?" Rodger shot back bitterly.

"Does it matter?" Benny was clearly annoyed.

"No way. Unlike you, the wrest of us can't afford to go anywhere else." Mimi glared. Frowning, Benny turned and left as Alison waved at him again.

"That boy could use a group hug." Angel muttered.

"So, what did the trader want?" Mark asked as he returned.

"Mimi, Mark. Mark, you remember Mimi." Mark nodded and gave a friendly smile.

"Same thing he always does." Rodger said with a dismissive wave.

"All fixed?" Collins inquired.

"Guys, that was possibly one of the weirdest experiences ever." Mark said, a half confused, half pleased look taking over his face.

"What happened?" Angel was curious. So Mark launched into how Maureen wasn't in the theatre and how he had finally met Joanne. Apparently, the two of them managed to work together to fix the problem and got to talking while doing so. Mark had warned Joanne about Maureen's cereal crushing habits and now, Joanne was rethinking her choices.

"And you know what? I may still love her, but I realized I'm not in love with her. Besides, we were friends long before we ever dated and I don't see why things can't go back to the way they were." He finished.

4: The world turns.

In the end, Maureen's concert went on as planned, and thanks to some quick thinking on Mark's part, local media covered it and before spring brake, Mr. Grey had realized that they could now afford to keep the school open for another few years, at the vary least. And so deciding, he promptly took his daughter and left town once all the proper forms were filled out. That left Benny alone and bitter. Collins remembered seeing his former friend sitting in a corner at the next school dance, looking distraught. Surprisingly, when Rodger was alerted, he had kissed Mimi, whispered he'd be back and walked over and asked Benny to join them. At first, he'd refused, but a few moments later, cut to Benny trundling slowly in their direction. Their reunion was strained, at best, but Collins suspected things would get better in time.

"What you thinking about, Honey?" Collins looked up to find Angel, graceful and beautiful as ever, watching him. He smiled.

"Those first few months after I came back." He said as he stretched his arms above his head. Then Angel was sliding up behind him on the roof of the loft, his hands on the taller man's shoulders, fingers digging gently into the bunched muscles.

"Hard to believe it's been five years since then, isn't it?" Collins nodded.

The end.


End file.
